Presentable Liberty: Circus Monster
by Allena Frost
Summary: There is a monster and then there is just a human born to be seen as one. A monster doesn't define a human that was born like that, it defines the man who finds happiness in others pain. Had I stood up to him, then Charlotte... She wouldn't be gone... She would be happily singing besides me and never been stuck in this hell hole. AU Circus Monster
1. Prologue

_Singing its silent song of misery_

_A monster lies trapped in its own Nightmare_

The young man scraped at the rusty cage with bloody fingers and tried to take it away from his path so he could escape to his friend. Tears streamed down his dirty face and scarred face, struggling even though there was no way to escape. A diamond was burned into his face showing he was owned by the Ring Master, the bastard that believed they were monsters, Dr. Money. His horns were sawed off by this bastard, still leaving excruciating phantom pain behind and his tail torn up so much that it hurt to move it. A torn up shirt lay on his scarred and naked body.

Knowing it was hopeless the young man reaches his hands towards the door as if his savior would come for him.

"I lay all alone. I should have known you would have left me." The young man sang out hoping his voice would reach his friend.

"'He' smiles at me. I can not see why 'he's' in your place." Dr. Money's voice rang out finishing the other part of the lyrics behind the door.

The boy jumped to the back of his cage and hid his hands from Dr. Money. The door opened revealing Dr. Money, a tall man with a permanent grin and fancy clothes all over, dragging in a figure by the horns. Slashes were on the body of the one he dragged in and dropped in front on the cage.

The body looked up at him, to reveal it was Charlotte smiling sadly at him. The young man reached out for her, crying harshly as he saw the full state she was in. Charlotte reached out for him, tears streaming down her bloody face.

_He is a tyrant, it let's out a plea_

_Why did she have to leave it all alone_

Dr. Money grinned and looked at the young man evilly.

"Would you like to get out, Aaron?" Dr. Money asked Aaron, who looked at him pleadingly. "Very well."

Dr. Money opened the cage up and Aaron crawled over to Charlotte, turning her on her back and laying her head on his lap.

Pushing Charlotte's bangs away from her face, Charlotte looks up at Aaron and croaks out, "I'm sorry, keep living for me…"

Aaron felt Charlotte sit up a little in his arms and gently hold her hand against his face.

"Keep living and don't give up like I am…" Charlotte cries out while laughing sadly. "I gave up on our dream, ironic isn't it…"

Charlotte dropped her hands to his chest, before she closed her eyes and dragged her hand over her side. Aaron's eyes widened and he frantically tried to find any source that she was alive. Screaming when he found that she had died, Aaron rocked Charlotte's body in his arms mumbling to himself.

Dr. Money chuckled at the sight and nodded to the men at the door to take her away, who walked in and ripped the body from Aaron's arms. Aaron fell to the ground and struggled to stand as his black hair fell over his face.

"CHARLOTTE!" Aaron screamed after the men who took her away, the pain of his broken heart evident in his voice.

_Bound to sing for us, a worthless monster_

_It never sees us, It despises us_

Dr. Money sat in the corner and watched happily as Aaron cried on the ground, scratching the boards beneath him. Aaron whimpered when his hair was grabbed by Dr. Money, and was dragged to the side of the bed. Dr. Money laughed at his distress and threw him down, causing his head to hit the floor.

_Lying so useless, we start to holler_

_"Hey, get up you worthless Circus Monster!"_


	2. Chapter 1

"All come see the monsters of Draneda, the pitiful beasts that have no home. See the two ferocious lions, that are tamed by the glorious Dr. Money. Watch in awe as the two headed man trapeze through the air with our deformed diva." The man on stilts announced to the crowd that walked happily into the large tent.

Roars filled the tent and yelling was heard from inside, causing cheering from the crowd when they saw the lions jump through the hoops soaked in fire. Children laughed and the adults cheered at the entertainment.

"Now keep your eyes open as you watch these two deformed creatures soar through the sky!" The ringmaster,Dr. Money, announced through the microphone. "Be in awe like never before!"

The crowd looked up to the tightrope and saw the deformed Diva on the other side of the of the rope getting ready to jump. No one noticed that the two headed man stood on the other side of with the swinging frame in hand. The diva jumped and the two headed man swung across, catching her in his arm. The crowd gasped as they watched the Diva flip out of his arm and onto the other frame. Hearing the cheers the diva lowered her head and flipped her legs onto the frame and let her upper body go, hanging upside down with her legs holding her up. The crowd cheered louder and some clapped in awe.

"Amazing aren't they, now watch as the two pitiful monsters juggle the fiery hoops of hell while balancing on our thin tightrope." Dr. Money chuckled as he watched the two children struggling to juggle with their masks on.

"They are only children..." The crowd harshly whispered silently in anger and disgust at Dr. Money.

Dr. Money clenched his teeth and kept smiling as if he couldn't hear them. He watched the younger of the two, who struggled in the clothes he wore and the fire hoops he was juggling from burning his hand. It took one trip from the youngest one to fall off the tightrope to make the whole crowd gasp and scream. The two-headed man swooped across on the trapeze, catching the youngest one before he fell and landed on the other side with the child in his arms. The other child threw off her mask and walked as fast as she could on the tightrope before running up to the two-headed man.

Harsh whispers sounded behind Dr. Money and some people left the tent covering their eyes fearing if they opened them inside the tent that they would witness something horrible. Some even clapped at the amazing capture of the falling boy.

"Now for our last act, my beautiful ladies and amazing gentlemen, the pierrots and their amazing feats." Dr. Money announced happily and pointed towards the two teenage looking girls with a happy mask and a melancholy looking mask.

Pulling out a ton of chairs the two girls circled the chairs before the melancholy masked girl did a handstand and grabbed the chair with her legs in order to lift it above her. The happy masked girl ran to grab two more chairs and a ball. She then climbed on top of the chair that laid on top of the girls legs and flipped the chairs so they laid on her arms and the other chair. The crowd cheered and clapped excitedly when the ball held three more balls inside of it. Letting each one drop at a time, the melancholy masked girl juggled them with her hand that she released from under her. The happy-masked girl stood and jumped down the chairs, while landing them on the ground. The melancholy masked girl caught all the balls and put the chair down in front of her before standing upright. They both bowed before running off the stage and towards the two-headed man who had already come down with the two children.

"You couldn't believe the sight, I saw it in your eyes! If you want to see more come back when we are here next year." Dr. Money yelled to the crowd and watched as people dispersed to go see the other attractions around the tent.

**OoOoOoO**

"I looked like a fool because of you two!" Dr. Money growled at the two children. "My circus can be brought down because of your mistakes!"

"S-sir! Look on the bright side, we caught them which caused the crowd to be amazed." The happy face spoke from the two-headed man.

"The poor children almost died, what bright side is there." The sad face whispered out sadly, looking towards the children.

"Hush you!" The happy face spoke.

"Mr. Smiley, shut your mouths!" Dr. Money hissed out in a low breath and pushed him aside to walk towards a chair. "Your constant bickering gives me a headache. It's obvious you two can't get along but do you want to end up like the last man that annoyed me?"

"N-no Sir! We will shut up!" Mr. Smiley covered both of his mouths and the happy face looked at the deformed diva.

"I am sorry for messing up the show sir..." The young boy apologized with a whisper.

"Sorry? Honey, working harder than you did today is better than your sorry." Dr. Money pulled the child towards him by his horns and growled. "Our show is not to be ruin by the likes of you mistakes."

"Please don't hurt him!" The two young girls came forward with a yell.

"Silence! I will see fit to how I punish this brat." Dr. Money stood still holding the boys horns as he cried. "Dante! Take them to their cells with your boys help."

A man walked out of the shadows with a few other men who grabbed everyone in the room except the young boy and Dr. Money.

"CHARLOTTE!" The little boy yelled out reaching towards the little girl.

"AARON!" The little girl cried out as she was pulled out of the tent.


	3. Chapter 2

"Charlotte... Why are we still alive... I want to die..." Aaron cried into Charlotte's shoulder as she rubbed his back comfortingly.

"We must live on... You want to escape here yes?" Charlotte whispered sadly and cried as the closest thing to her lay in her arms emotionally broken. "In spite of him we will escape."

"I'm sorry for getting us stuck here... I'm sorry for all your pain." Aaron clutched the ripped dress front and snuggled deeper into her shoulder. "This cage around us even my fault..."

Charlotte gently lifted Aaron's face up to look at her and she smiled gently.

"I allowed you to run off and I followed. I took all the pain so I know that I'm strong enough to protect you. Nothing is your fault." Charlotte wiped the tears away from Aaron's face. "Clean your mind of all of what you say is your fault, that was all in the past. Were already coming of age so with that wipe it away."

"I'm sorry for burdening you." Aaron hugged Charlotte tightly and gently let go laying his head on her shoulder.

"Stop saying sorry as well..." Charlotte cried silently as she heard Aaron fall asleep on her.

OoOoOoO

A young man walked up to the cage that he heard held Circus Monster and looked inside to show Aaron sitting in the corner crying.

"Hello?" The young man said a little too loudly to Aaron.

Aaron lifted up his head in shock and backed away to the edge of the cage, dragging a broken leg towards himself to hide from the further taunts that always came from the visitors to his cage.

"Are you alright?" The young man asked Aaron concerned.

"Leave… You have nothing to gain from asking me that." Aaron whispered out harshly.

The young man frowned and moved the side of the cage getting a closer look at Aaron.

"I want to be friends and you seem to nice among the other people that work here." The young man's frown turned into a small smile and he reached his hand inside to shake Aaron's. "I don't see why you called a monster, you're more like a- little lion cub that's misunderstood. Though you're no cub, you're human just like me! My mom always told me no matter how different a person looks they are all humans, even if they have horns and a tail."

Aaron looked towards the young man with wide eyes at how much he talked and gently shook the young mans hand. The young man pulled Aaron forwards and locked eyes with him.

"So are you alright?" The young man asked again but more serious this time.

Aaron nodded his head and looked away from him as he felt uncomfortable with the staring.

"Why do you care? I'm just a circus display… I'm meant for your amusement."

"Why would I find amusement in other's pain, I'm no cruel bastard like your ring master." The young man growled out before covering his mouth and looking away shyly at his outburst. "My name is Salvadore by the way! What's yours?"

"I don't have a name... " Aaron lied knowing this wouldn't last as long as he wished.

"Come now you must have a name, every person has a name!" Salvadore raised an eyebrow and looked at Aaron's scarred hands and arms.

"It's Aaron…" Aaron whispered silently and crossed his arms.

"See there's the name I longed to hear!" Salvadore smiled happily and reached inside to wipe away the wetness on Aaron's cheek.

"We only met today…" Aaron backed away and went to hide in the back of the cage.

"There he is! That's the little fool that helped that lion escape!" Two of Dr. Money's men yelled out and ran to grab Salvadore only for him to dodge each grab.

"Oh! I gotta run, see you later buddy!" Salvadore waved at Aaron and ran off with the two men chasing him.

Aaron watched with a small smile and thought to himself, What a strange man.

**OoOoOoO**

The young man named Salvadore visited him every day and always brought food for him and Charlotte. Usually Salvadore would run off every time the men would show up, causing suspicion between the men that walked around.

Overtime Salvadore and Aaron became close and Salvadore told more stories about his past. He often flirted with Charlotte which made her laugh at his attempts. Salvdore told them about his traveling and how he would find many wonders in the world, he told Aaron about the river that changed direction during the seasons. All was well until 5 months later.

Salvadore never showed up anymore and Charlotte grew weary every passing day, hiding behind smiles that made Aaron even more depressed. He knew of their promise to escape and live a happy life together, but with no means of it happening they were both going to die in this damned place.

Dragging himself towards the cage Aaron watched as Charlotte looked sadly to the ground as if nothing in this world mattered anymore. It was if him and Charlotte had switched personalities, yet Aaron still didn't feel the strength that he believe Charlotte to always hold.

"Get moving you damn pests!" One of Doctor Money's men said behind Aaron, causing Aaron to only gain in anger.

Looking back at the men, Aaron glared at them and held his ground. The two men looked at each other and laughed at Aaron's anger, only causing one of them to be punched in the face.

"Aaron don't!" Charlotte yelled at him trying to drag Aaron off of one of the men. The other man took a swing at Aaron only to have it hit Charlotte instead.

Aaron pushed Charlotte off and got off the unconscious man, hands red with blood from the man's broken nose. Kicking the other man in the crotch, Aaron watched as the man fell to the ground after he tried swinging again at him. Charlotte looked at both of the men and then at Aaron before she was forced to stand by him.

"We have to go now! It's our chance to escape!" Aaron smiled happily and grabbed her hand gently.

Charlotte nodded and ran with Aaron hand in hand, but it was as too good to be true. When they finally reached the exit of the circus, Charlotte knew they wouldn't make it. Not with her leg and not with the sound of the men looking for them.

"Aaron! We aren't going to make it, just stop…" Charlotte breathed out as she tried to pull her hand out of Aaron's.

"We can make it! I know we can, just please believe me!" Aaron yelled back at her tugging her along. They would escape this place, all they needed was a few more steps to freedom.

That freedom was never reached as a gunshot was heard and Charlotte screamed out Aaron's name. Aaron fell to the ground and reached out his hand towards the exit before his world turned black.


	4. Chapter 3

Charlotte shook Aaron repeatedly as Dr. Money casually walked over to them with a pistol in hand.

"Aaron get up... Please get up..." Charlotte cried as she stopped shaking him and put hand on the gun wound to stop the bleeding.

Charlotte felt the shadow of Dr. Money over her body and shivered as she felt the pistol to the back of her head.

"Back away from Aaron, Charlotte." Dr. Money said in a demanding voice, but still sickly sweet. "Move now."

Charlotte looked back at him and shook her head, holding Aaron closer to her. Dr. Money frowned and kicked Charlotte aside and held the gun towards her.

"You guys became so defiant since you grew up… Even after I treated you to so well." Dr. Money growled and shot the ground beside her. "Yet you try to escape my circus! Do you wish to be killed and punished."

Charlotte glared at him and spit at his feet, causing Dr. Money to shoot at her left shoulder. She screamed out in pain and put held her hand over her shoulder, whimpering as she tried to curl up into herself.

"So defiant… So courageous for a friend." Dr. Money cooed playing with the pistol. "I see keeping you two together was a bad idea..."

Dr. Money kicked Aaron over on his stomach and leaned down to pick him up.

"Don't hurt him!" Charlotte said trying to not faint from the blood loss. "Please, I convinced him to run he had nothing to do with it."

Charlotte reached out for Aaron only to fall forward as she was shot once more in her shoulder. Dr. Money ignored her, throwing Aaron's body over his shoulder. He looked disgustedly at Charlotte and walked away leaving Charlotte struggling on the ground.

"Please... Don't hurt Aaron!" Charlotte yelled out at Dr. Money.

"Honey, you both are going to hurt in more ways than you imagined. I don't care which of you convinced who, you're both to be punished." Dr. Money said not turning to even spare a glance at her. "I'll leave your punishment up to Dante."

Charlotte watched as he continued walking until her world turned black.

**OoOoOoO**

Aaron awoke to a sharp pain in his lower abdomen and his whimper along with it. Pain-induced tears fell from his eye as he opened them, looking at the blurry figure of a man above him.

"I'm almost done, but I need you to hold him down if you want this done with, Dante." A familiar voice growled out to the said man.

Hands went down upon his arms as his vision became clear. The man above him showed it to be Dr. Money readying to put a heated needle with thick thread through his skin. Aaron's struggling broke through and his breathing became erratic.

"Hold him down I said!" Dr. Money growled trying to steady the needle.

Aaron felt the grip on his arm tighten and pain overtook his struggling.

A scream tore from his throat and filled the room with it.

"Aaron you brought this upon yourself by trying to run away." Dante said in a dull voice behind him.

Aaron looked bleary at Dante and cried out in a silent scream as the needle tore through his skin. Each one was excruciating than the last till Aaron couldn't understand why it stopped hurting. Were they done? Was it over? Could he finally just rest in peace? Aaron though as he stared at the ceiling blankly. A scolding hot metal object that was in the shape of a diamond was held in front of his face giving off a wave of heat before it on place upon his cheek.

The pain tore through Aaron's face this time making his worn throat be overused in pain filled screams.

"You look nice with my imprint upon your face." Dr. Money removed the metal to reveal a gigantic grin upon his disgusting face.

Aaron felt the urge to punch him, hurt him in ways he never imagined but he was stuck to this hard surface with no means to escape. His leg ached with phantom pain and his new wounds burned intensely on his body reminding him of his want for death to escape this reality that he was stuck in.

"I do say those horns will have to go... What do you think, Aaron?" Dr. Money asked him happily.

Aaron shook his head in fear and fresh tears ran down his face, not trusting himself to speak.

"Dante? He says no..." Dante shrugged and Dr. Money decided it was invade your torture patients personal space day. "I heard that no always means yes."

Dr. Money moved away to only pat Aaron's burn cheek, making it burn only stronger than before. Dragging himself to a cart he pulled a saw off it. Aaron struggled more than he did before as he saw Dr. Money getting closer. His whole body shook from fear and he watched as Dr. Money handed it to Dante. Aaron felt the arms be replaced by a smirking Dr. Money, holding him down tighter than Dante did. Feeling the saw start to cut through his left horn causing the nerves to shoot pain throughout his body making him feel even worse than before, Aaron's silent scream tore out of his throat and his eyes widened with tears coming down his face harsher than before. His horn fell to the ground and his body shook at the loss of a part of his body. All thoughts were wiped clean from his head at replaced with the thought of his horn, his own part if his body was taken off... Aaron was in hell going through the seven wheels of punishment and he wasn't even done with the first wheel. More pain tore through him as the other horn was being cut off, causing him to violently shake and him to go into full mode shock, resulting in the world to black out for him.


	5. Chapter 4

"Ah, he passed out... Dante how could you let this happen." Dr. Money sighed as if he was a mother scolding a child. "Continue, but you should be more gentle with your torture patients."

Dante ignored him and cut the final part of the horn, letting it fall to the ground. Blood clotted up in both stubs for the horns and Aaron's body shook still in shock after Dr. Money let go of his arms.

"Sir, what are you going to do with this pest when your done?" Dante pointed to Aaron's unconscious body that still shook with tremors.

Dr. Money's childish act dropped and was replaced with a serious one.

"Keep him as a pet and make him wish he was dead." Dr. Money grinned evilly.

"Sir, that look doesn't fit you. Its ugly upon your face." Dante said in a dull voice and looked away sighing.

"Wha! You're so mean Dante!" Dr. Money said in a childish voice, smacking Dante's right shoulder.

Dante glared and walked towards the door.

"Ah, I never did get to hear what you did with little Charlotte..." Dr. Money said darkly. "What do you plan on doing with her?"

"I'm not interested in her, treat her as you like but for right now I left her in my men's hands. Whatever they do to her is up to them." Dante pointed towards Aaron and continued to speak. "Clean up his mess, since you're responsible for him and also find a way to stop the bleeding or else you won't have a pest to torture no more."

"Ah you always leave me with the disgusting work." Dr. Money whispered as Dante walked out of the room.

**OoOoOoO**

"You'll never see your friend again child... So tell me how you want to go out kiddo." Dante looked at the trembling figure of Charlotte on the ground, clothes torn and gashes lay all over her body from his men. "They did a number on you but I still am leaving you with the choice of dying to escape your cruel reality. I'll come back in 2 weeks, have your answer by then."

Dante walked off and left Charlotte on the ground trembling as she bled out slowly. She had to still survive though even if she had to go through this more than once, just to help her friend escape. Even if he escaped before her and helped her they would be both alive and leave the place together, without no hesitation this time.

**OoOoOoO**

Aaron awoke in darkness until he felt a sharp jab in what felt like his leg. Heavy eyelids shot open and Aaron jumped at the sight of a smug Dr. Money holding a knife in his left leg. The pain was dull but when he removed it Aaron shot to cover his left with the rest of his body hiding immediately from him.

"Been asleep for 2 days, I can stand looking at the sickening calm face you have. I'm bored and I want to get back to the fun we had earlier." Dr. Money laughed and three the knife, looking at the curled up figure of Aaron. "Now let's have our fun shall we!"


	6. Chapter 5

Charlotte woke to screaming and then silence. Aaron was in pain and she couldn't do anything! Pushing herself up she limped to the entrance of her cage.

"Aaron!" Charlotte screamed out hoping he would hear her wherever he was.

Dante's men came over and banged on the cage causing her to fall back in fear.

"Shut it pest!" The man yelled at her before walking away.

Aaron was in a worse situation than she was...

_2 weeks later_

"Have you decided how you want to go, girl..." Dante asked in a dull voice.

Charlotte looked up at him with tears in her eyes and a broken look on her face.

"I can help you escape this hell the only way I can kiddo." Dante rubbed the back of his head and pulled out a cigarette.

"I don't care anymore..." Charlotte whispered out. "Promise me you will help Aaron..."

Dante pulled out a lighter and lit the end of the cigarette.

"Look kiddo, I have no way of helping him... Heck the last time I saw him was when I was forced to saw off his horns." Dante confessed and then his dull look turned to an apologetic one. "There isn't anyway I can help him."

"Try! I know you're not bad, but you're not good either... Try and maybe you'll be free from this hell as well." Charlotte spoke in a trembling voice. "The lions."

"The lions?" Dante questioned.

"I choose to go out by my friends hands, that's the only way." Charlotte turned away from Dante and hid into the edge of the corner.

"Alright. I'll do my best kiddo..." Dante whispered out before walking away from the cage.

**OoOoOoO**

"I'm surprised you can glare at me after I did all that to you." Dr. Money chuckled at Aaron, who laid inside the small cage, who lay clutching his stomach from the kick he received. "Tell me why can't I break your spirit like I have done to all the other pests. Your act of difference has always interested me, but now its just annoying."

Aaron looked up at Dr. Money and spit in his face, growling at him.

"I stripped you of your pride, destroyed everything pure but yet you still continue to annoy me." Dr. Money growled back wiping his face off and walking away towards the door.

Pitifully, Aaron curled back into himself wondering if Charlotte was suffering as much as him. Pushing himself up, he scratched the rusty bars and wondered if he could escape this cage without being caught again.

**OoOoOoO**

Aaron scraped at the rusty cage with bloody fingers and tried to take it away from his path so he could escape to Charlotte. Tears streamed down his dirty face and scarred face, struggling even though there was no way to escape. The diamond mark still burned on his face showing he was owned by Dr. Money. His horns were sawed off by the bastard, still leaving excruciating phantom pain behind and his tail torn up so much that it hurt to move it. A torn up shirt lay on his scarred and naked body.

Aaron, knowing that his attempts were hopeless, reached his hands towards the door as if his savior would come for him.

"I lay all alone. I should have known you would have left me." Aaron sang out hoping his voice would reach Charlotte in some way.

"'He smiles at me. I can not see why 'he's in your place." Dr. Money's voice rang out finishing the other part of the lyrics behind the door.

Aaron growled a little and jumped to the back of his cage and hid his hands from Dr. Money. The door opened revealing the bastard dragging in a figure by the horns. Slashes were on the body of the one he dragged in and dropped in front on the cage.

The body looked up at him, to reveal it was Charlotte smiling sadly at him.

Reaching out for her, Aaron cried harshly as he saw the state she was in. Charlotte reached out for him, tears streaming down her bloody face, washing the dirt to reveal her burn mark.

Dr. Money grinned and looked at Aaron evilly, knowing he finally broke him.

"Would you like to get out, Aaron?" Dr. Money asked Aaron, who looked at him pleadingly. "Very well."

Dr. Money opened the cage up and Aaron crawled over to Charlotte, turning her on her back and laying her head on his lap.

Pushing Charlotte's bangs away from her face, Charlotte looked up at Aaron and spoke in a scratchy voice. "I'm sorry, keep living for me…"

Aaron felt Charlotte sit up a little in his arms and gently hold her hand against his face.

"Keep living and don't give up like I am…" Charlotte cries out while laughing sadly. "I gave up on our dream, ironic isn't it…"

Charlotte dropped her hands to his chest, before she closed her eyes and dragged her hand over her side. Aaron's eyes widened and he frantically tried to find any source that she was alive. Screaming when he found that she had died, Aaron rocked Charlotte's body in his arms mumbling to himself.

Dr. Money chuckled at the sight and nodded to Dante's men at the door to take her away, who then walked in and ripped Charlotte's body is from Aaron's arms. Aaron fell to the ground and struggled to stand as his black hair fell over his face.

"CHARLOTTE!" Aaron screamed after the men who took her away, the pain of his broken heart evident in his voice.

Dr. Money sat in the corner and watched happily as Aaron cried on the ground, scratching the boards beneath him. Aaron whimpered when his hair was grabbed by Dr. Money, and was dragged to the side of the bed. Dr. Money laughed at his distress and threw him down, causing his head hit the floor, pain coursing through him.

Dr. Money crouched near Aaron and pulled him back up by the hair in order to bring him closer to his face.

"She chose this. I guess you couldn't save her like you wished to do." Dr. Money laughed as Aaron's eyes widened.

**OoOoOoO**

Dante watched as the men walked away with the girls body and sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry kiddo I can't do anything." Dante looked up at the sky and lit his cigarette that lay in his mouth.

"FIRE! THERE'S A FIRE!" One of Dante's younger men ran screaming as others ran to get buckets.

Dante continued looking back up at the sky calmly not caring in the slightest if this hellhole burned to ground. A sharp pain was felt from his side as he dragged the cigarette from his mouth. Falling to the ground he watched as a hooded figure stood over him.

"That was for Charlotte you sick bastard!" The figure hissed out.

Dante smiled sadly and nodded at him. "That's fair..." The figure turned from him in disgust. "If you're looking for the bastard, you're going the wrong way. He's in the cabin at the end of the tent."

The figure turned around and tilted his head to the side as if in question. "Why are you helping me?"

"As Charlotte told me I'm not good but neither am I evil. Maybe I just want to help you because you helped me in a way. I can finally escape the hell I was trapped in for most of my life." Dante slowly closed his eyes and chuckled. "Everything here at this circus will be free just because of you kiddo."

The figure turned away and walked towards the area that Dante told him the bastard would be.

"Save that poor child, Sal…" Dante shakily covered his face and let the darkness take him over.

**OoOoOoO**

"Are you scared of me, Aaron?" Dr. Money said laying over him pinning him down upon the bed. "Come now you can answer me. You do have a tongue after all."

Aaron looked to the side and tried to block out all that was happening, already going through the inner conflict between himself and another voice in his head. Dr. Money laughed and brought his face closer to Aaron's, invading what was left of his personal space.

"You shouldn't be afraid, yet... " Dr. Money said the last part next to his ear, causing him to shiver in fear. "Come now we haven't even started our fun to-"

Aaron watched with wide eyes as blood spattered over his face and a gunshot rang throughout the room. Dr. Money fell on top of Aaron making him freeze on the spot.

"Fucking sick bastard..."Aaron heard as the body weight was pulled off of him and a thud was heard off to the side. "Aaron, are you okay?"

Aaron flinched as he felt his cheek being touched. Slowly opening his eyes,which he didn't remember when he closed them, he looked at the figure above him like he was an ghost. Tears fell from his eyes as he hugged his old friend Salvadore. Salvadore chuckled sadly and stood up, dragging Aaron off the bed gently.

"Charlotte's dead... I thought you were dead but here you are, friend." Salvadore said holding his best friend in his arms for the first time. "So much has happened to you and yet I couldn't save you like I wanted to... I'm sorry."

Aaron shook his head and held on tighter as if Salvadore was his lifeline.

Yelling was heard outside and burning wood seeped under the door.

"Dear friend. I know you haven't run since so long but since the fire is so close we will have to do so." Salvadore pried Aaron off of him. "We need to run now!"

Not giving Aaron time to think he was pulled into a pain-tearing run with Salvadore running as fast as he could with him as dead weight. Trying to forget about the pain Aaron forced himself to run side by side Salvadore, releasing himself from the grip on his arm.

Everything was falling apart as the fire that Salvadore himself had set to the disgusting place that called itself a circus. Yelling of Dante's men could be heard everywhere and the circus acts kept quiet as they waited for their end to come. Aaron watched as Mr. Smiley held Leslie the deformed diva's hand. The sad face finally looked happy and the happy face cried as if switching places with each other. The twins sat close to each other holding each other's hands looking up to the ash filled sky. Nobody was fighting the fact that they were all about to die, all his friends wished for death…

A yell came from Salvadore as Aaron felt himself be pushed from behind only to hit the floor. Getting up Aaron looked behind him and saw fire surrounding the area where Salvadore originally stood. Running towards it, he pulled off the burning wood frantically, wincing at the flames licking up his hands and arms. Underneath lay Salvadore impaled with a splintered off piece of wood with a small grimace upon his face. Salvadore opened his eyes once he heard Aaron crying harder than he was before.

"Hey now… Don't cry, I'll be fine!" Salvadore lifted up his burned hand and smiled as best as he could to try and reassure Aaron he was fine. "You go on without me, why don't you."

Aaron shook his head and tried to lift Salvadore only to have his hands slapped away.

"Go ahead, I'll catch up. We'll go on those adventures I talked to you about! I'll even show you the river that you loved so much!" Salvadore laughed, while coughing up some blood. "I even have a little friend for you! I forgot about him though because I was in the moment but I have him still. "

Salvadore reached shakily towards the pocket in his pants to bring out a metal box along with a letter. Smiling he set it down in Aaron's open hand.

"Read it when your out of here. You- we will finally go on our amazing adventures! Travel to the unknown. So go damnit, you can be my guide out of here." Salvadore pushed Aaron gently before looking away.

"Sal! I won't leave you!" Aaron shook Salvadore before trying once again to carry his friend, only to have a gun facing him and a glare on Salvadore's face.

"Leave now! I beg of you! Don't let my help go in vain, we'll meet again and then go on adventures. Okay?" Salvadore softened his face when Aaron finally nodded and stood up.

The place was already halfway burned down as Aaron ran out, fire licked at the back of his bare feet as he ran even faster. He didn't even notice the hood that was put over him by Salvadore until now. Reaching the exit, he ran to the top of the hill before falling to his knees. Panting, he looked back and screamed inaudible words to the sky, before looking back to the ground. The box in his shook before stopping shortly at the sudden movement from being in his hands. Aaron sat on his knees and looked at the box sadly but with a questioning hint as well. Opening it up, a black spider crawled onto his hand and stayed there before jumping off and landing on his leg.

Aaron looked at it before looking at the note sadly. Ripping the top off, he pulled out a letter from the inside. The note was on burned paper but you could still read what it said.

"Dear old friend,

If you're reading this, I hope you are at least free. I had hoped so much for us yet here we are. Will you still go and see the reverse river and the falling night sky? Charlotte was such a sweet friend and you were like a brother for me. I made a cottage for us, all three of us if we all escaped. Far away from this town, two landmarks north. It has everything you could need. Nor the bug friend I found seemed just right for you. I hope you like him. I hope he will keep you enough company until you find a person you can call your home as. Remember you are loved more then you can imagine. Live on without me.

Yours Truly,

Salvadore"

Aaron read the note and looked dully at the burning circus. No tears fell from his eyes. The spider made no movement on whilst sitting upon his lap. Clutching the note he brought the hooded robe around himself looked to the ashen sky. Slowly the sun rose over the burning remains of the circus as if trying to block out all the bad that had been done.

"You were both my home, wherever you two would go I would go... You both are gone, so where should I go?" Aaron asked not expecting a reply.

Getting up and forgetting the spider, causing it fall off, Aaron yelled at the sky.

"Charlotte! Sal! I don't want to be alone!" Aaron yelled at the sky as one single tear went down his face.

He was all alone, with nobody to guide him along the way and no one to be his home. Yet time still passed on as if the pain he felt was nothing. He was alone...


End file.
